This invention relates to a flexible storm window having transparent side walls forming an airtight internal space communicating with a valve member to conduct an inflating medium into the internal space for expansive support within a window opening.
Conserving energy used for heating and cooling buildings is a present-day national objective. Industry and, especially, homeowners face ever-increasing costs for energy, as well as costly conservation measures. Storm windows are usually costly but an effective barrier against the unwanted flow of heat. The stagnated airspace created by a storm window prevents escapement of heat from a dwelling during winter in a cold climate and prevents the ingress of heat into a dwelling during summer in a warm climate. Storm windows known in the art are expensive, difficult to install, a safety hazard and require continued maintenance to insure an attractive appearance. Moreover, most storm windows are not easily stored; sometimes requiring valuable storage space.
A conventinal and costly storm window consists of a rigid transparent panel surrounded by a frame which is, in turn, supported by a frame attached to the building structure outwardly of the usual window. Another prior art form of storm window is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,630. This form of storm window has a very limited field of use and is not compatible with conventional window assemblies and window openings according to present-day constructions. The rigid sheet of transparent material in the storm window construction is undesirable from the standpoint of safety and prohibits installation over the exterior or interior of the window opening. In most buildings, the exterior windowsill or interior sill stool projects outwardly beyond the wall of the building; thus preventing positive sealing. The straition type of seal for the storm window is ineffective for window openings in brick, stone or concrete. Moreover, wooden window frames, e.g., double-hung windows, project at various levels or planes. This storm window design is believed costly to manufacture and install.